Esther L. (Tetlow) Esposito

April 11, 2013

Esther, the daughter of the late William and Maude Tetlow, was born in Washingtonville, Ohio, on Sept. 26, 1916. She later moved to Salem and attended Salem schools.

Esther worked at Salem China and during World War II manned the military shell line at Mullins Manufacturing.

Her first husband, Lt. William S. Miller of Salem, was killed during action in WWII while serving in Germany.

Esther was fortunate to find love for a second time and married Sebastian "Mike" Esposito of New York City. Together they worked and raised their two children in New York, but returned to Salem upon Mike's retirement in 1973. Theirs was a loving and happy marriage that lasted for almost 60 years until Mike's death in 2005.

Esther had lifelong friends that she was able to maintain from her childhood in Salem and her life in New York. Esther loved children and worked as a grade school teacher for 30 years, retiring in 1982 from Salem's St. Paul School. While previously living in Queens, N.Y., she taught at St. Mary, Gate of Heaven School and St. Anthony of Padua School.

Esther was a member of St. Paul Church and of the Salem Elks Ladies Auxiliary, serving as president for two terms. Two of her greatest joys were ballroom dancing and cooking for her family. She also enjoyed bowling, attending Salem Quaker football games, and coffee-really hot coffee.

In addition to her parents and husbands, also preceding Esther in death were her brothers, Billy Tetlow and Les (Ellen) Tetlow; and sisters, Mabel Tetlow, Ella Miller, Thelma McNeal, Gladys Spear, and Ruth Oesch; and son-in-law Robert Fischer.

She is survived by a son, William (Jean) Esposito of Salem; daughter, Carol Fischer of Lewes, Del.; grandson, Forest Fischer of Washingtonville; brother, Fred (Joyce) Tetlow of Tampa; numerous nieces and nephews; and many special friends among whom are Sandy Stalnaker and her children, Josh and Lauren of Salem and Anne DeMaggio and her family of Albuquerque, N.M.

Services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 15, 2013, at the St. Paul Catholic Church.

Calling hours will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Monday at the Stark Memorial Funeral Home prior to the services. A Salem Elks Auxiliary Service will also be held at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at Grandview Cemetery.

The family wishes to thank the Hutton family and the staff of Courtyard at Lexington for their loving care and Dr. Richard Fawcett, Nurse Edie Myers, and the entire staff of the Family Practice Center for providing many years of care.